Stormy Weather SECRETS IN THE LAB CHALLENGE
by dinabar
Summary: Harry/Nikki/Leo is keeping a secret. What is this secret and how does it help bring Harry/Nikki closer together. PART OF THE SECRETS IN THE LAB CHALLENGE.  A power cut traps our heroes in the lab for the evening, what secrets will the darkness reveal?
1. Chapter 1

**Stormy Weather, Part of Deadfairies Secrets of the Lab Challenge**

**So in my defence, I have been having a costume drama (Jane Austen) marathon of all the things I recorded at Christmas to watch while I'm still home alone, which I'm sure has skewed my judgement somewhat. My four year old has discovered an ABBA cd in the car but will only listen to 'Mamma Mia' and 'Does your mother know', the school run is 20 minutes each way, enough said and I also watched Darcey Bussell dances Hollywood. Darcey dances beautifully of course, technically correct but she just didn't have the magic of Fred Astaire who always makes it look so effortless and as if anyone could just join in and lo a fanfic was born.**

**A Homage to Jane Austen, Mamma Mia, Fred Astaire and Irving Berlin. For everyone not quite as sad as me, it might be handy to have YouTube around just so you can see what I'm on about later.**

**I hesitate to put the disclaimer on, not sure the BBC would totally recognise them, but all Silent Witness characters belong to the BBC. If you're in the mood for some silliness enter in, I listened to a sermon on 'Joy' the other week at church, and thought maybe I've been a bit mean to you all, so I offer you this to hopefully bring you joy and to give you a laugh. As always your thoughts and comments are always appreciated.**

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><p><strong>Stormy Weather<strong>

"Come on!" urged Leo there must be something here we're not seeing.

"Well according to my PM evidence the time of death had to have been between 1am and 5am," Harry insisted.

"But the crime scene does not support that theory at all," Nikki interjected.

"My post mortem is not a THEORY," Harry declared.

"All right, settle down you two; is there a possibility that what we have investigated is not actually the crime scene for this body?" Leo asked.

"Her DNA was all over the sheets," Nikki added.

"But that doesn't necessarily make it the crime scene. What about blood evidence? Is all the blood at the scene hers?"

"We've sent so many samples off to be analysed, the first one's back all match the victim, but we haven't had them all back yet," Harry said and then shook his head; he leant his head to his left and looked closely at the photo's displayed on the white light board. "Do you think there is enough blood here?"

There was a low rumble from somewhere far in the distance.

"Just on the off chance that some of the samples that come back aren't hers?" He looked across to Nikki for confirmation.

"How did the body look?" Nikki asked. "Did it show any signs of extreme exsanguination?"

"Not at first glance," Harry picked up his report and flicked through the pages. "All the organs weighed within normal limits, but… they were all on the low end of the normal distribution, especially if you consider her size. You might be on to something there. It could be… "

"So we could be looking for another crime scene?" Leo suggested.

"Or another body?" Nikki asked flicking the pen she was holding against her knuckles.

There was another rumble.

"Who wants to tell DI Williams?" Harry asked.

"It's your case, Harry," Nikki said quickly, and turned to leave; "besides it's nearly eight and I'm going out tonight."

"Somewhere nice?" Harry asked.

"Dancing," she replied.

"Dancing? Or clubbing?" Harry asked stifling a laugh.

Nikki didn't answer him but walked off in the direction of the office.

"I spoke to DI Williams earlier, I'll ring him Harry, you go home for the night," Leo said kindly, "it is Friday after all." They followed Nikki towards the office letting the doors whoosh shut behind them. "You've not got a date then?" Leo asked.

"The chance would be a fine thing," Harry muttered staring at Nikki's retreating form.

"You never know," Leo said cryptically.

Harry shot him a murderous look, but the third rumble of thunder was so loud it masked anything he might have had to say.

"About time too," Leo said as he heard the sound of the rain lashing the windows in the strong wind. London had been sweltering for weeks, the hot humid airless heat of the summer that made riding the tube hotter than a Swedish sauna. "It's about time the weather broke," he said with a sigh, my lawn was looking dreadful.

"I like the heat," Nikki replied. "It reminds me of Africa,"

"Humph," mumbled Harry, in many ways he didn't much care to be reminded of Africa. Not that he couldn't see its attraction of course; it was incredibly beautiful. But he never had that longing to be back there, that enchantment that some people got after having visited. Not like Nikki did.

They all blinked as the lightening suddenly flashed, lighting up the darkened offices and Harry's words were again drowned out again by the sudden clap of thunder.

"_I hear thunder, I hear thunder,"_ sang Leo when the thunder finished.

Nikki took over and sang the second line:

"_Hark don't you? hark don't you?"_

They both stared at Harry, "your turn!"

Harry stared back, but there was no getting round it.

"Pitter patter raindrops," he said sullenly.

"Oh Harry really!" Nikki said exasperated. "You are such a spoil sport sometimes."

"_Pitter, patter raindrops, pitter patter raindrops._

_I'm wet through, so are you." _Nikki and Leo sang together.

The lightning flashed brightly across the offices a second time but this time, when the noise of the thunder diminished there was a strange electrical buzzing noise and then all the lights went out.

"Don't worry; the University has a back-up generator," Leo assured them, as they found themselves plunged into darkness.

And a few moments later the security lights outside flashed back on again, but the offices were still utterly black.

"Oh," said Leo.

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><p>I hear thunder: traditional nursery rhyme<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

The laptops were giving off an eerie blue glow and the security lights from outside cast strange shadows across the room as they filtered through the blind at Leo's window.

"I'm sure they'll have it fixed up soon," Leo said again.

Nikki went over to the doors and pressed the door release button. Nothing happened.

"Isn't there supposed to be some kind of manual override for these?" she asked.

"Err, yes," said Leo sheepishly. "It's controlled by the emergency generator."

"Fantastic," said Harry sarcastically.

"Well what are the chances of a power cut and a break down to the emergency generator happening at the same time?" Leo asked.

"What about the freezers?" Nikki exclaimed.

"Oh they're on a different system," Leo assured her. "When the generator was installed there was a priority order, budget constraints and all that…"

"So the offices scored pretty low didn't they," Harry surmised.

"These ones did," admitted Leo.

"Shit," muttered Nikki. "We're going to be stuck here until the power comes back on aren't we?" She took out her phone and started punching numbers.

Harry used his own phone as a torch and examined the switches that controlled the doors, but there was no way to open them. He shut off his computer.

"I'm saving my battery, we might need it later," Harry said and smiled up at Nikki. There were worse ways to spend a Friday night he theorised; he was only planning on grabbing a drink on his own. Stuck in his office in a power cut with his two best friends was looking potentially like a better option.

Nikki made her way back to her desk and closed her laptop too.

"I'm starving," she announced. "Do you think they could deliver pizza through Leo's window?"

"Not without a long ladder," Leo laughed.

"Isn't there still birthday cake?" Harry said, using his phone light to guide him to the kitchen area. The automatic switch off, kept plunging him into total darkness and there was the sound of much scuffling and swearing but he eventually returned with three plates, the cake and a few other still edible food products from the fridge. He felt his way over to his desk and pulled some sweets out of the bottom drawer.

"A veritable feast," he announced placing it all down on Leo's desk. His office had the most light; being lit up from the outside by the security lights.

Leo produced a bottle of wine from his desk.

"Oh," exclaimed Harry. "I'll go get the glasses shall I?" Not really relishing the journey back to the kitchen area.

"I'll go," said Nikki, opening an app on her phone, so she would have light the whole way there and back again.

Harry inwardly kicked himself for being so stupid.

The rain really was pouring down, and the rumbles of thunder could still be heard, but none as close as the one earlier. Leo had tried ringing the power company, but all he got was a newly recorded message confirming that the lightning had caused power cuts across the area, and that technicians would rectify the situation as soon as it was possible.

"Look's like we'll be stuck here for a while," Leo said. "We'll have to think of something to do."

"What other than break this case?" Harry retorted. "Did you tell Williams he hasn't got the right crime scene?"

"No, I'll do it now," Leo said and fished out his phone.

"This cake isn't bad," Nikki admitted. "Have you had some?"

"I was hoping to," Harry replied cheekily and received a backhanded slap to his stomach. Even in the striped light of Leo's office, he'd seen it coming and caught her hand before she'd made contact.

"Watch it you two," Leo said. "If we are going to be stuck here for an hour or so, I don't want to spend it refereeing World War III with you two bickering."

"We don't bicker," Harry exclaimed.

"We do," Nikki giggled.

"What shall we do then?" she asked when Leo finally got off the phone. "Swap ghost stories, storm stories, sing camp fire songs?" she suggested.

Leo poured the wine and passed a glass to each of them singing as he did so:

"_Don't know why, there's no sun up in the sky?_

_Stormy weather, just can't get myself together_

_Keeps raining all the time…"_

It was reasonably tuneful, but no one would ever describe his voice as rich.

"Enough!" shouted Harry, or else Williams will be finding the Lyell Centre a new crime scene when he can finally get in.

Nikki's wine rocked in her hands with her laughter.

"You are really grouchy this evening. I didn't think you had plans," Nikki said.

"So," he retorted and stuck his tongue out at her.

"So? What's got into you? Leo's singing's not that bad," she replied.

"If only you knew," he muttered under his breath, but no one heard him because Nikki suddenly shouted:

"YouTube karaoke!" and grabbed Leo's computer, turning it round and lighting up her smiling face.

Harry and Leo groaned, but after a few minutes of trying to connect it was obvious that the WiFi was down too.

"Oh that's a shame," Nikki said sincerely and looked up at Leo.

"I don't know why you're looking at me like that? What are you hoping? That I've got a piano hidden at the back of my drawer too?"

The friends laughed.

"Stormy Weather," toasted Harry and held up his glass trying to sound less grouchy.

"Stormy weather," they repeated, but less enthusiastically than Harry had.

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><p><strong>So who's going to have the secret? There are clues...<strong>

Stormy Weather: Songwriters HAROLD ARLEN, TED KOEHLER


	3. Chapter 3

**So many good guesses and lovely reviews, thank you all. Glad you are enjoying the feel good factor. **

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><p>"So what's it to be?" asked Leo. "It's a bit dark to play cards really."<p>

The storm clouds had seemed to make the sun set earlier on this summer night. They would never be able to play properly as they'd show each other their hands every time they turned them to the light of the computer.

"Well it's stories or singing then," suggested Nikki. Her eternal optimism making the best of the situation, now she had come to terms with the fact that her date was off.

"We could all do first times," suggested Leo.

"I really don't like the sound of that," exclaimed Harry.

"No, not THAT, our first days here at the Lyell Centre. Tell you what; I'll do the story about your first day Harry. You can do Nikki's and she can do mine." Leo explained.

"How am I supposed to tell a story about your first day?" she guffawed.

"You'll think of something," Leo claimed. "Shall I start?"

"I'm beginning to change my mind, what about that singing idea?" Harry said hastily.

"Really?" Nikki replied surprised. "Maybe we could work it into the story."

"NO! I was being facetious," Harry replied.

"What is so terrible about singing?" she asked him.

"Nothing really," he grudgingly agreed. "I've just not really sung anything since I was at school."

"We could all admit to a secret, something we know the other two don't know about us," Leo suggested.

"Ooh," exclaimed Nikki. "The dark is really the best place for secrets."

Harry just stared open mouthed, he had been looking forward to an evening with Nikki when he first realised they were trapped, but he was rapidly changing his mind.

Leo's phone rang,

"Hi Janet," he said. "No, we're all stuck inside the Lyell Centre the generator's not working so none of the doors are opening," he continued talking as he made his way out of his office and into the darkness of the next room.

Harry walked over to the window and watched the rain. The light from the security lamps reflected the trails of the raindrops running down the window pane onto his face.

"Oh Harry," cried Nikki. "Come away, you look so sad."

"I'm not sad, I'm sorry you missed your date though," he replied but without moving.

"No, biggy. I think he'd actually forgotten who I was," she explained joining him at the window. "I'm sure I would have been rubbish at dancing anyway."

"No, you wouldn't," Harry replied. "I'm sorry Nikki, looks like you'll have to spend the evening with the two of us," Harry said.

"You're not sorry at all," she said casting him a quick sideways glance and then she went back to watching the lightning light up the sky all around them.

It was true, Harry wasn't sorry she had missed her date in the slightest.

"Look!" said Harry. "The ground floor of the Percival Building has lights on; I'm going to try ringing George."

George was Harry's favourite security guard and they had built up a good friendship over the years. The security desk phone was engaged, so there was no chance to speak to him. They both turned back to gaze out of the window again.

"I've not seen a storm like this for years," Harry said.

"It's amazing," Nikki admitted. "So powerful."

Their reverie was broken by Leo crashing back in through the door.

"_Oh Freedom, oh freedom, oh freedom,_

_Freedom is coming, oh yes I know,"_ he sang loudly.

Nikki started to chuckle, and Leo came to an abrupt halt as he saw Harry's face, as thunderous as the storm outside.

"What?" asked Leo. "I've just been on the phone to George, he says an engineer was called out half an hour ago, it might take him a while, but at least we know he's on the way."

"Oh," muttered Harry.

"Harry what is the matter with you? I thought you wanted to get out of here?" Leo asked.

"That'll be why we couldn't get through," Harry said avoiding the question.

Leo started singing again. Harry knocked his head against the window frame and Nikki looked from one man to the other.

"His singing's not that bad," she said. "Every time Leo starts singing or someone mentions singing you go all…all…grumpy as if you were in pain. Come on Harry, Leo's quite tuneful really."

"But he's singing the girl's part!" Harry said exasperatedly and threw his arms up in the air for emphasis.

"Harry?" Nikki said quietly.

But it seemed that the storm raging inside Harry had suddenly been unleashed and now there was nothing to stop the downpour of his words.

"It comes in three parts, Leo should be singing the bass line: '_Freedom is coming, Freedom is coming, Freedom is coming oh yes I know_,'" he sang in a velvety smooth baritone. "You hear it's different at the end, you need to go down and not up, and then the second part comes in a perfect fifth above the bass, and then you can put in the soprano line over the top."

Even in the semi darkness Harry could see his colleague's mouths hanging open. He'd started now though and there was no turning back, he had kept this secret for a long while, but it would be a secret no more. It was their fault anyway, they had said they wanted to sing and it still could be a long night. He wasn't going to spend it having his ears assaulted by off tune singing.

"So are you ready?" he asked. His tone indicating that there was no option of non-compliance. "Sing it after me, when you change note it's only by a tone, the harmony comes because the other lines are changing pitch in a contrary motion." Harry wasn't really expecting either of them to answer. The two of them were still stood dumb struck staring at Harry. Leo at least had managed to close his mouth.

"I thought you wanted to sing," Harry said. "So sing." He sang out the bass line and indicated for Leo to copy.

Once Leo was secure singing his line, he turned his attention to Nikki.

"You know your line?" he asked.

"I'm not singing the soprano line," she laughed out in her deepest throatiest voice.

"Nikki! You are a spoilsport," Harry whined.

"I'll do the alto though," she laughed. Harry knew this would mean he would end up singing the girl's part falsetto; still it was better than having Leo murder it.

He quickly sang out the middle part for Nikki, she picked it up far faster than Leo had, and Harry noted that her pronunciation relapsed into African standard, emphasising the shortness of the e and the roundness of the o's instead of the awful 'freeeedum' it was often transmuted into over here.

"Right then," he said. Leo starts and sings his lines all the way through once, then Nikki joins in and I'll join in last, off you go," he gestured to Leo and hummed his first note for him.

They made it all the way through the song three times before Harry conducted them to a stop. Nikki had been desperate to laugh at Harry singing so high, but it actually sounded amazing. There was a moment of stunned silence as they finished and then their laughter rocked the room as suddenly as the thunder outside had earlier.

Nikki stood in front of Harry, and made a show of feeling his face in the darkness.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Just making sure, that it is still Harry in here and not that cute short fella off the telly," she answered.

"You think Gareth Malone is cute?" Harry scoffed. "He's a geek!"

"He's just passionate and dedicated and he makes something beautiful out of something ordinary, what's not to like?" she replied.

"I'll try and remember," muttered Harry.

"Anyway, I've always been a geek," Nikki admitted.

"Yes but that's hardly a secret is it?" Harry answered.

"Oh Harry, when you said you sang at school, I thought you meant school choir stuff," Nikki explained.

"I did," Harry admitted.

"Yes but I just thought the regular kind you know singing the stuff everyone sings, bits from 'Oliver' and 'Mary Poppins and all that.'

"We did that," Harry said hastily.

"But you mean choir boy, school choir!" exploded Leo as the realisation crashed into his brain like a lightning bolt. "Did you have the robes and ruffs and medals?"

Harry heard Nikki gasp.

"You were a choir boy!" she exclaimed and started to giggle again.

"What's so funny? Private school doesn't pay for itself you know," he said grumpily.

"You got a music scholarship?" Leo asked. "How did we not know about this?"

"You don't know everything," Harry interjected.

"Oh, we do now!" laughed Nikki. "What colour was your robe?"

"Nikki!"

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><p><strong>Freedom is Coming: Traditional African Song, out there on YouTube, sheet music also available. I'm hoping that you're all laughing too hard to notice any technical inaccuracies, I'm sure there are some, I'm just hoping I've included enough of Flossie's favourite things because if anyone would notice she would!<strong>

**Gareth Malone does reality TV shows in the UK where he takes ordinary people; most recently a group of military wives with husbands on active service, and forms them into a choir. The military wives sang as last year's Remembrance Day service in the Royal Albert Hall and were such a sensation the song was released and became the Christmas number one single, and raised money for armed services charities. However the strength and empowerment gained by the participants from being in the choir, and Gareth Malone's passion and dedication are what makes the shows so compelling to watch.**


	4. Chapter 4

**The silliness continues: glad you're enjoying it but quite happy to hear if you think it is totally ridiculous, just press the button at the bottom.**

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><p>"So what's next then?" asked Leo, "It's only 9:30; realistically, George thought it could be 11 before we're out of here."<p>

"Well Harry, has outed a secret of his, maybe we should all reveal a guilty secret?" Nikki suggested.

"My secret is not guilty!" Harry retorted.

"How many times did you try singing to a girl to entice her into bed with you?" she asked bluntly.

"Nikki!" both Leo and Harry exclaimed.

"Only once," admitted Harry a moment later and then laughed.

"Did it work?" Nikki asked.

"No, it did not!" Harry replied. "But maybe it was more to do with the fact that we'd been playing drinking games for the five hours previously; there was a chance I could have been singing slightly flat."

He smiled at his friends, he really hadn't sung in years. It felt good to do it again, like meeting an old friend unexpectedly and being reminded of happier times. Maybe the evening wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Right then Leo, what's your secret?" Nikki asked turning the computer round to shine its light in his face. "We have ways of making you talk!" The computer light was hardly effective at disarming Leo, as a bright light in an interrogation room would be, and shortly after moving the computer, it made three final flashes before shutting itself down; the battery finally admitting defeat.

"Shall I go and get mine?" Harry asked.

But they were getting used to the dim light, and they could see some street lights in the distance now, that had got their power back.

"No, the dark's the best place for secrets," admitted Nikki and stretched out on Leo's sofa. Harry wasn't sure which end to take, the foot end, and have Nikki's feet in his lap, or the head end where he'd have to have her leaning against him.

"Is there room for anyone else on there?" he asked.

Nikki sat up, which Harry took as his cue to sit at the head end, and seconds later felt her lie comfortably back against him, her feet stretched out as before.

"So Leo, any hidden talents?" Harry asked, moving the arm Nikki was leaning on and putting it around her.

"Piano? Origami? Karate? Rare fish breeding?"

"No, no, no and no," Leo laughed. "I don't keep secrets from you two," Leo said and then paused.

"Well not any more, I learned my lesson the hard way you remember?"

Nikki and Harry laughed.

"You two were insufferable," Leo said.

They just continued to laugh.

"It was an honest mistake," Leo insisted.

"I know, I know we've heard it all before," Nikki said. It was odd hearing Harry laugh so close to her ear and to feel his body shaking beneath her. Odd but strangely comforting.

"I don't think we're going to get anything more out of Leo," Harry conceded. "What about you?"

"I am an open book," Nikki declared.

"No you're not and you're a very bad liar!" Harry said and tickled her waist causing her to shoot up in the air.

"Aha!" he exclaimed. "Now I always suspected you'd be ticklish,"

"Harry!" she warned turning round and looking at him.

"It's ok," he insisted. "Your secret's safe with me," he replied tapping his nose as he did so.

"What time is it now?" asked Leo stifling a yawn.

"Only just ten," Nikki replied. "Looks like we'll have to sing storm songs, after all!" She turned back around and settled into Harry's arms once more.

"I already did mine, Harry just laughed at me," Leo grouched.

"Yes, but…" Harry began.

Leo was staring at him, and he felt Nikki try to move to face him again.

"I'm not singing you stormy weather," Harry replied. "Do you know how hard that song is to sing?"

"Obviously not," laughed Leo.

"I've got one," Nikki said sitting up.

"_Jeremiah was a bullfrog, he was a good friend of mine,"_

_I never understood a single word he said, but I helped him drink his wine,"_

She stopped before the chorus.

"What does that have to do with storms?" asked Leo, he was sounding more tired by the second.

"Oh, it's not to do with storms exactly, just being stuck here reminded me of it. It was in an X files episode, Mulder and Scully were stuck in the woods, trying to avoid some monster or something, anyway Mulder is injured and Scully stays up all night to keep watch. Mulder asks her to sing something so he'll know she's still awake…"

"And she sings 'Joy to the world?" Harry asked.

"Well not the choir boy Christmas one, I'm sure you're very good at," she giggled. "But she did sing this one, and she was even more out of tune than Leo."

"Oy!" Leo countered but added quickly. "Well at least Harry won't have to teach us the three part harmony this time."

Nikki settled back into Harry's chest, and they all began to sing. She could feel the heat of his body and hear the warmth of his voice all around her. It was a great song, and certainly good to keep their spirits up she decided, until that was, the beginning of verse two. She'd forgotten all about that one. She wondered briefly if Scully had too, probably not knowing her.

She could feel Harry's breath tickling her neck as he continued to sing loud and strong:

"_I__f I were the king of the world  
>Tell you what I'd do<br>I'd throw away the cars and the bars and the war  
>And I'd make sweet love to you."<em>

She continued to sing the second chorus, but Harry's presence was becoming more and more distracting, and harder and harder to ignore.

Leo yawned again. "I didn't know you liked science fiction?"

"Oh, it's not like that's my big secret. I'm not bothered by it really, I never watched for the monsters or the aliens, I just loved the fact that the character that was so desperate to believe in all the paranormal stuff rarely had the weird experiences and the scientist who didn't believe in it, always did. It was funny," she added a moment later and then, "it made me seem slightly less geeky."

"Oh," replied Leo, who didn't understand in the slightest but couldn't contain yet another yawn.

"Do you want the sofa?" Harry asked, sitting up and nearly tipping Nikki out of his lap. He put an arm round her waist to steady her.

"No you two keep it," Leo replied leaning back in his leather desk chair, "But if you're going to spend the night singing, maybe you want to take it outside? I'm pretty sure that no one has to keep awake to watch out for the monsters though."

"No, we only have to watch out for Harry," grinned Nikki. Predictably, he released the arm that had been supporting her and gave her a nudge towards the floor.

"Just don't break anything!" pleaded Leo, as Nikki put her hand down onto the coffee table to steady herself, scattering the glasses and plates from earlier.

"That was his fault!" she cried petulantly.

"Come on, let's let Leo get his beauty sleep," Harry said and pulled the door to Leo's office open, he wedged it with his foot, then with Nikki pushing from one end, and Harry pulling at the other they manoeuvred the sofa out of Leo's office and left him in peace.

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><p><strong>Joy to the World: Three Dog Night<strong>

**X files Season 5 Episode 4 Detour, Mulder and Scully belong to FOX**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews, glad you're having fun and I'm bringing a smile or two. I realise I have been pushing the boundaries of silliness with this one, but it is meant to be silly so I won't be offended by reviews going 'this is ridiculous', as I understand that maybe that doesn't look complimentary, but actually for this one it probably is. I'm hoping that you're finding this ridiculous and laughing anyway. **

**Oh, and it's about to get sillier….and if you're not good at hit songs from the 1930's you may want to have youtube around in the background.**

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><p>"I never realised you felt so badly about being a geek, before now," Harry said sitting down at one end of the sofa, his feet up on the cushions in the middle.<p>

"I don't now!" Nikki replied, sitting facing him at the opposite end and stretching her legs alongside his. "School wasn't really easy though, I had a strange accent. I was too clever. I spent years coming third in class."

"That doesn't sound geeky, I always assumed you'd be top of the class," Harry admitted.

"I could have been; I came third on purpose. Teachers don't worry about third. Come first and you're the talent, slip to second and there could be a problem, a steady third and you have a quiet life."

"Oh," he said to indicate that he had understood; it was too dark for their usual nonverbal communication.

"Surely being a geek and a choir boy didn't do much for your social standing?" she laughed.

"I never said I was a geek!" Harry retorted.

"Harry!"

"Oh well, you're probably right, but it was probably better than just being 'the boy who's Dad had killed himself.'" Harry was silent for a moment, the office area was almost totally dark; there was just enough light coming through from Leo's windows to make out a few details. Nikki had been right; the dark really was the best place for secrets and it seemed that everything that normally made things so complicated between them had been shutdown by the blackout.

"But you see," he explained. "That's the difference between private school and a comprehensive in Guildford; everyone at my school was a geek!"

Nikki laughed.

"Shall I turn on my computer? Give us a bit of light?" Harry asked.

"No, I quite like it as it is," Nikki admitted. "It's relaxing in a 'I'm trapped in a building' kind of a way."

"Do you think Leo is actually sleeping?" Harry asked.

"Why?"

"I'm sure I keep seeing his phone flash,"

"It's probably just more lightning or maybe Janet's worried about him," Nikki replied.

They were silent for a while, before Nikki began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked.

"You were a CHOIR BOY!" she spluttered.

"Oh, that!" he replied kicking at one of her legs.

"So what else did you get to sing? Was it all religious stuff?"

"No, we had lots of good music. My favourite choirmaster was an old retired teacher Mr Brantwhistle; he would come in in the summer term and do fun things with us. We weren't preparing for Easter or Christmas so we could do what we liked. We did a whole variety of styles but his favourite was old Hollywood Musicals, he could do a wonderful impression of Frank Sinatra."

Somehow, although the image of Harry as a choir boy was beyond hysterical; the picture of young Harry singing out show tunes and old Sinatra classics was just too much to bear and she laughed until the tears rolled down her face.

"You think that's funny do you?" he goaded.

But Nikki was laughing too much to be able to reply.

"You'll see," said Harry swinging his legs over the side of the sofa. He began very quietly, almost imperceptibly but Nikki's laughter quickly died away as she listened to the words. His voice was light, playful even but with an undisguised depth of emotion.

"_The weather is frightening.  
>The thunder and lightning<br>Seem to be having their way.  
>But as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day.<em>

_The turn in the weather  
>Will keep us together<br>So I can honestly say,  
>That as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day...<br>And everything's okay."_

He reached through the darkness and took her hand in his.

"_Isn't this a lovely day to be caught in the rain.  
>You were going on your way, now you've got to remain.<em>

_Just as you were going, leaving me all at sea,  
>The clouds broke, they broke and oh what a break for me.<em>

_I can see the sun up high, though we're caught in a storm.  
>I can see where you and I could be cozy and warm.<em>

_Let the rain pitter patter  
>But it really doesn't matter<br>If the skies are gray.  
>Long as I can be with you, it's a lovely day."<em>

He was glad once more that he couldn't see the detail of her face; it was so much easier to sing the words to her instead of say them to her. He wondered if she realised exactly how significant the words were; how completely he meant them?

But this was Nikki of course. She would understand exactly what he meant by them. The question was; would she do anything about them? Would he do anything about them?

She was very quiet, he scooted along the sofa to try and see her more clearly. She wasn't laughing at him anymore; her look was a mixture of wonder, and surprise and anticipation.

"It's a beautiful song," she whispered, hardly daring to break the last echoes left by Harry's voice.

"Yes, that one's a classic; from Top Hat, 1935, Fred and Ginger at their best. You've never heard it before?"

"No I can't say I have, I don't think show tunes were on our curriculum."

Harry paused. "Nikki?" he began tentatively, "You did want to go dancing tonight. Would you do me the honour?"

He stood up, bowed low and offered his hand out to Nikki.

"Harry!" she gasped. "It's completely dark, it was just a lesson I was going to. I can't dance. I can't…"

Harry took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Relax, you'll be fine, just listen and feel and follow along. I'll make sure we don't bump into anything, you concentrate on following."

"But Harry!" she exclaimed.

But by now he had moved her three paces away from the sofa and further from the light from Leo's office. He took hold of her firmly, just below the waist and pulled her hips against his, then returned his right hand to the small of her back and his left outstretched to hold her in a classic ballroom pose.

"You dance too?" she breathed.

"That I did keep quiet about at school," he replied, his lips not far from her ear. "Dad, would never dance and as a family we had to attend so many functions where dancing was still obligatory, Mum had taught me the basics before I was old enough to argue," he gave a rueful chuckle before continuing, "and then afterwards, well…" he didn't need to finish.

"See?" he said and then realised that that was the wrong word.

"Feel then," he pushed his hip into her, indicating to her to take a step back.

"Now to the side," he directed, applying the slightest pressure to her back with his hand.

"And then together," he finished leading her with the pressure from his hips.

Nikki found herself biting her lip and it wasn't because she had to concentrate on the steps.

"Are you ready?" he asked, pulling away slightly and looking at her.

"No!" she answered truthfully but instantly missing the feel of his body pressed up against hers.

"Right then," he said pulling her back into him again. Even though it was completely dark, Nikki closed her eyes. He couldn't possibly have danced with his mother; not like this, she reasoned but it was all her usually sharp mind could think of; currently her powers of logical thought seemed to be inversely proportional to Harry's proximity.

She was expecting him to start the same song again, it was light and charming. But he pulled her flush against him and this time rested his cheek on hers. His voice was still light, but the playfulness had been replaced with seriousness and the depth of emotion was plainly evident despite the darkness.

'_Heaven, I'm in Heaven,  
>And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak;<br>And I seem to find the happiness I seek  
>When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek.'<em>

Nikki was having trouble breathing, the sound of Harry singing in her ear, his body so tightly against hers and the rhythmic movements of their dance were overpowering; almost hypnotic. She wasn't sure she would still be standing if Harry wasn't holding on to her so tightly. He moved his face across her cheek and towards her neck and it was all she could do to stop herself crying out.

'_Heaven, I'm in Heaven,  
>And the cares that hang around me thro' the week<br>Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak  
>When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek<em>.'

Harry suddenly broke away from the tight hold he had on her and keeping hold of one hand spun her round, and pulled her back towards him again as the dynamics of the song changed.

'_Dance with me  
>I want my arm about you;<br>The charm about you  
>Will carry me thro' to Heaven'<em>

Nikki began to laugh again, being twirled around in the darkness, but secure in the knowledge that Harry seemed to know where everything was and wasn't going to let her bump into the furniture. After one last twirl he pulled her back to him, tighter than ever.

_"I'm in Heaven,  
>And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak;<br>And I seem to find the happiness I seek  
>When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek.'<em>

He gradually brought their movement to a stop, but he was in no hurry to pull away from her.

He took his hand out of hers and pressed his thumb against her cheek.

Nikki tried to think of something to say, anything to say; but it was as if she were spellbound.

"Nikki," he murmured, the song being over there were no longer any distractions from the reality of their position. He leaned his head closer in, giving her a chance to pull away, to back off before it was too late. The air in the room seemed as static and as electric as the atmosphere outside had been before the storm broke.

"You did say it was a good night for secrets," he whispered.

"This has never been a secret," Nikki admitted, finally regaining the power of speech and looking him straight in the eye. "I have wanted this from the moment I met you." She moaned as Harry began nuzzling her cheek again, drawing ever closer to her lips.

"Me too," he mumbled while he still could.

He closed the final space between them and kissed her. He was dimly aware of a low rumbling sound and wondered if he were responsible for it, but then his tongue found hers and then the sparks really began to fly.

* * *

><p><strong>Top Hat 1935 RKO Radio Pictures<strong>

**Isn't it a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain: Words and music Irving Berlin. I can't believe the dance clip has disappeared in the space of time it has taken me to write this, I'm gutted, it was perfect. For the song only search Fred Astaire – Lovely Day, and Escapedbunnyslippers will provide you with the soundtrack. Really sorry, maybe wouldn't have used it if I knew the clip would disappear : ( **

**Cheek to Cheek: Words and music Irving Berlin, again if you're watching you could have Frank Sinatra but for me it's got to be Fred again. You can see the clip of the dance for that one, don't think H&N would manage it though in the confines of the office…**


	6. Chapter 6

**Final part, strap yourselves in; you know what's going to happen now…**

* * *

><p>"I don't want to dance now," Nikki panted, breaking off from yet another kiss, when she felt Harry's hips nudging her to move.<p>

"Not… dancing," he gasped back. "Trying …to… find… the… sofa," he explained, reaching his hand under her light summer blouse.

They crashed onto the sofa a tangle of hands and arms and legs and had just adjusted to their new position when there was another strange electrical buzz and all lights snapped back on.

Harry groaned and buried his face in her shoulder, shielding his eyes from the strong light. For one heart stopping moment he thought he felt her crying beneath him, her whole body was shaking so violently, but then he heard that throaty chuckle he adored and realised she was laughing.

With the lights back on the absurdity of the situation was all too apparent, there they were making out on their boss's sofa, in their own office with Leo metres away separated only by a window, and what up until now had been darkness. Harry began to laugh too. When he thought he could finally face the brightness he raised himself up on his arms and looked down at Nikki; whom he had straddled across the sofa. Her hair was all out of place, her face was flushed and her eyes were full of longing and desire and utter irritation that the lights had come back on.

If Harry's singing had brought down Nikki's final defences towards him; then the sight of her, beneath him looking aroused and annoyed in equal measure had certainly removed the remainder of his.

Still blinking from the strong light Harry smiled and cocked his head to one side in an unstated question; she began to giggle again.

He took that as a good answer.

"Hello gorgeous!" he said and laughed too.

"Do you think secrets stop being secrets when the lights come back on?" Nikki asked. She was slightly unsure as to how the mood had changed between them now they were illuminated again, but Harry seemed in no hurry to climb off of her, which she took to be a positive sign.

"What secret's that?" Harry asked. "That finally my singing almost got me into bed with a girl?"

She punched him playfully on the arm.

"Like you said," he continued caressing her face with his hand. "This has never been a secret, just somewhere we were too afraid to go."

"Why?" she whispered.

"Because loving you and losing you would devastate me," he said simply.

She paused, and looked into his eyes to show that she had heard him. Heard the words he had not actually said, but the ones she knew she would hear; one day when they were alone and in the dark.

"I'm not planning on leaving," she promised and reached up to kiss him tenderly.

They broke apart when they heard Leo's office door open and jumped up off of the sofa. Nikki instinctively smoothed her clothes down, but it was a futile gesture, there was no way of disguising her flushed face and the tell-tale signs of what they had just been doing. Harry grabbed hold of Nikki making sure she was stood in front of him, in a human shield kind of fashion. Leo wasn't stupid though, thought Harry, it might have been dark earlier and he had no idea what he looked like, but Nikki's face would be sure to reveal this secret.

"Look's like we can all go home," Leo said cheerily as he walked past them carrying his briefcase and an umbrella. "That is if you're ready of course. I wasn't interrupting anything was I?"

Harry tried to answer but instead let out a half grunt half squeak.

"If I were you," Leo continued unfazed, "I'd take the stairs when you go. You know, just in case. It'd be a shame to spend the rest of the weekend stuck in the lift. Sorry you missed your date Nikki; I hope Harry hasn't been too disappointing a companion for a Friday night. Sorry I was so tired. Have a nice weekend," he called over his shoulder and walked towards the doors humming loudly.

"Thank you," called Harry as an afterthought. Leo just waved and continued to hum but didn't turn around.

"Do you think he knows?" Nikki asked whirling round to Harry, as soon as she heard the doors whoosh shut.

Harry just stared at her, one eyebrow raised. She put her hands to her hair in a vain attempt to reassure herself that she didn't look like she'd spent the last twenty minutes snogging her co-worker. "Shit," she exclaimed.

"This evening has been all about secrets," Harry answered.

"They're not secrets anymore!" Nikki replied. "It's not fair; Leo refused to tell us any of his secrets."

"Yes, you might think that," Harry said cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Nikki asked again, reaching up on tiptoe and trying to look Harry directly in the eye.

"Well," Harry began and paused for effect. "I know that primarily I could only hear the blood rushing through my ears just now when we, when we…"

"When we were kissing," supplied Nikki.

"Yes," Harry said and smiled, stealing a quick kiss before he continued. "When we were kissing, but I'm pretty sure I heard the air conditioning, switch on about ten minutes ago."

"So?" Nikki said still not comprehending.

"And all the lights on all the other floors of the Percival building came back on at around the same time. Didn't you see the flashes? And Leo has spent a lot of time on his phone this evening," Harry explained.

"You think he was watching?" she gasped. "You think he deliberately kept the lights off for longer in here so we had a chance to… And he kept the lights off in here until he was sure we had…" Nikki blushed scarlet. "No, it was just a fluke, maybe the Percival building's on a different system," she suggested.

"But that doesn't explain how the air conditioning came back on?" Harry countered.

"But how can you be so sure?"

"I wasn't sure, not until just now when Leo left," Harry admitted.

"But he didn't say anything to suggest…"

"No he didn't SAY anything," Harry interrupted. "It was what he was humming, or trying to hum" he clarified.

"Which was?"

"Let's Face the Music and Dance."

"Are you sure?"

"Definitely," Harry smiled.

"It sounds ominous. Can you sing it for me?" she asked sweetly.

"It's another classic, how can you not know any of these songs?" he laughed.

"I don't know, maybe I had better things to do?" she retorted.

"Do I have an assurance of where it will lead to?" Harry asked.

Nikki laughed her throaty laugh, "Your place or mine?"

"Which one is the most likely to have power?" he asked practically.

"Does it really matter?"

"No, I don't think it does," Harry said and smiled and kissed her again. "Shall we go?" he offered her his arm.

"Yes, lets," she replied taking his arm and letting the doors whoosh open for them.

Harry began to sing as soon as the doors closed behind them:

"_There may be trouble ahead  
>But while there's moonlight and music<br>And love and romance  
>Let's face the music and dance."<em>

* * *

><p>Let's Face the Music and Dance: words and music Irving Berlin, from Follow the Fleet 1936<p>

**For Amy who guessed ages ago what Leo's secret was, (no I don't think he can control the weather either) and for generally being brilliant. Glad you've all had fun. I hope this leaves H&N where you need them to be. Thanks to Deadfairies for the challenge, I've had a lot of fun with this, and there are worse songs to have stuck in your head than these. Free dances with Harry to anyone who reviews, so there's an incentive for you.**

**Thanks for reading. D**


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